PAUL Jewell has hit back at Tottenham manager Martin Jol for branding Wigan as long-ball merchants.

PAUL Jewell has hit back at Tottenham manager Martin Jol for branding Wigan as long-ball merchants.

Jewell's side deservedly captured a point from a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane yesterday, twice taking the lead via Andreas Johansson, only to be pegged back with goals from Mido and Jermain Defoe.

Jewell felt Wigan should have won the game, although the result was enough for the Latics to finally hit their season-long target of 40 points, all but mathematically guaranteeing Barclays Premiership football for next season.

In turn, that has put them in good heart for Sunday's Carling Cup final clash with Manchester United at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

However, Jewell's delight was tempered by comments later heard from Jol which he feels did not reflect the way Wigan performed against a team going for a Champions League place.

"We were unlucky not to win because I felt we played exceptionally well, with the players terrific," reflected Jewell.

"I'm disappointed we're not sitting on 42 points right now, although let's have it right, I would have taken a point off Tottenham before the start.

"But we felt disappointed at the end, which is pleasing because it shows we are not happy to go to places and be part of the scenery.

"Driving home, though, I was quite distressed to hear Martin Jol going on about the long balls we played.

"He must have thought we were playing in white because they definitely played more long balls than us, in particular up to Mido.

"I thought we played some great football and it gives us a great platform going into the final.

Encouraging

"Since getting there that's all anybody has wanted to talk about, and although our results haven't been spectacular, I think we have been steady.

"Yesterday was as well as have played for a while, and that's encouraging for Sunday."

Skipper Arjan de Zeeuw also believes Wigan should have emerged from the game with their first Barclays Premiership win this season over one of the 'big five'.

But the Dutch centre-back reckons now they have 40 points in the bag, they will approach the first major final in the club's history in a more relaxed mood.

"We were gutted we didn't win yesterday's game after twice taking the lead, even though Tottenham are a good side," said De Zeeuw.

"But afterwards we realised we had reached 40 points and it was a case of, 'Oh yeah, great'.

"It was a target we set at the start of the season, to get to 40 points as quickly as we could.

"I'm a bit disappointed we didn't reach it earlier. After the start we made I feel we could have done so a couple of weeks ago.

"But we're finally there now and it's great. It's a monkey off our back, and it will relax us. Psychologically it will help us going into the final.

"After achieving one thing we set out to do at the start of the season, hopefully now we can go on to lift the cup."

Such is Jewell's desire to ensure no player misses out on Sunday's occasion, the entire squad - including those injured players unable to play - are to travel to Cardiff on Thursday and play their part in the build-up.